Basketball backboard goal support



Aug. 1, 1950 J. B. COBB BASKETBALL BACKBOARD GOAL SUPPORT 7 Filed May16, 1947 JNVENTOR. J. B. COBB ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1950 UNITEDSTATES harem orricr.

EESKETBA LDBAGKBQARD GOAL SUPPORT ohan. Cobb, Washington, no.

Application May 18, 1947, Serial l l'o. 748,401

. 1 This invention relates to games or amusement devices and moreparticularly to a basketball goal and the manner of its installation.

The value of certain games has long been recognized for the development,and maintenance of sound minds in sound bodies, including theimprovement of muscular coordination or skill and the affording ofwholesome pleasure.

One of the games that has become widely known and approved for itshealth and recreational value is the game of basketball, which includesa goal in the form of a circular hoop with a net beneath the sanietoform receptacle or basket and with a backboard or backstop behind suchbasket against which a ball can be bounced or projected in an effort tocause the ball to pass downwardly into the basket.

Basketball goals and backboards have not been easily available due in alarge measure to the fact that they have involved an outlay beyond theresources available to a small child or the disposition of the childsparents, as well as on account of the difiiculties of installation andthe like.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a basketballbackboard and goal of the simplest and most inexpensive constructionwhich can be readily installed by application of the same to a door,transom, or other closure and removed with equal facility in order toafford children and adults the opportunity to engage in the healthfulrecreational pastime of basketball in the home.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective illustrating one embodiment of the presentinvention and its application to a door of conventional construction;

Fig. 2, a rear perspective of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a rear elevation of a modified form of the invention applied toa door; and

Fig. d, a vertical section through the end portion of the structure ofFig. 2 with a modified adjustment of parts.

With continued reference to the drawing, the preferred form of theinvention comprises a backboard H3 which may be of smaller size than theconventional basketball backboard. The backboard may be of any desiredmaterial, but for lightness and durability it is preferably of laminatedplywood or similar construction.

Against the backboard is mounted a basket- I3 Claims. (01. ate-4.5)

ball goal in the form of a. hoop Iii. having a; squared portion l2 heldin a square socket of a clamp l3 by means of a fasteningelement Hi. Theclamp 1:3 is of spring metal and is. of a, size: slightly greater thanthe squared portion 12' of the hoop so that'bynloosening the fasteningelement M the hoop II can be disposed in operative position as shown inFig. flrgat right angles to the backboard or it can be disposed infolded or collapsed position parallel to the backboard, as shown in dotanddash lines in Fig. 4, as. when the device is not in use and it isdesired testers the same. i 1

In order to install and. supportthe backboard, amounting strip 15. offabric, such as: canvas or the like, may be employed. The mounting stripI5 is preferably substantially triangular in shape or may be said totaper from bottom to top. Its marginal edges are folded over to providea bottom hem It at thewide end and with side hems l1 extending to thenarrow end, where the strip is folded back upon itself and provided withstitching l8 joining the folded back end to the body of the mountingstrip. For reinforcement between such extremity and the folded overportion a braid i9 is stitched across the folded over extremity, thusleaving a loop 29 for the reception of an attaching cord H.

The attaching member I5 is fastened to the backboard along its bottomhem it by means of fastening elements of any desired character, as forexample screws 22 which extend through washers 23. The attaching memberis intended to be used with the intermediate portion extending over theupper edge of a door or other closure 24 with the attaching cord 2|fastened to the doorknob 25.

In order to properly support the backboard, adjustable supports 26 maybe interposed between the rear side of the backboard and the door. Thesesupports preferably are of yieldable material, such as rubber or thelike, and of hollow or cup-shaped configuration similar to those whichare used on the lower ends of crutches for providing resilience thereto.The supports 26 have metal ferrules 2'l preferably internally threadedfor engagement with the externally threaded shank of a screw 28. Thus byadjustment of the support elements 26 proper angular adjustment of thebackboard may be obtained to insure that the hoop II is approximatelyhorizontal even if the door is out of plumb or has a non-planar surfaceas indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4.

Instead of the mounting member [5 and associated parts, the backboardIt) may be mounted by means of one or more brackets 29 secured to thedoor by fastening elements 30 and which brackets have right angularextremities or hooks 31 which engage the side of the upper edge of thedOOr 24 remote from the backboard. Also, if desired, resilientadjustable supporting elements 32 similar to the supporting elements 26may be attached to the backboard in the same manner as supportingelements 26.

It will be readily understood that with the construction of either ofthe embodiments of the present invention a basketball backboard and goalmay be provided at. relatively small cost with minimum of materials andsuch backboard and goal can be readily installed for almostinstantaneous use, affording healthful recreational and entertainmentvalue, and the device can be easily removed and stored when not in use.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the embodiments of the invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited bythat which is shown in the drawings and described in the specificationbut only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A quickly installable basketball backboard comprising a support for agoal, means for mounting said support comprising a relatively thinflexiblesheet adapted to fit over the top of a door, said sheet havingone end attached to the rear of said support, flexible means secured tothe other end of the sheet for fastening to the knob 4 v of the doorupon which the support is mounted, and adjustable means for varying theposition of the support relative to said door.

2. A quickly installable basketball backboard comprising a support for agoal, means for mounting said support comprising a relatively thinflexible sheet adapted to fit over the top of a door, said sheet havingone end attached to the rear of said support and having flexible meanssecured to its other end for fastening to the knob of the door uponwhich the support is mounted.

3. A quickly installable basketball backboard comprising a support for agoal, means for mounting said support comprising a relatively thin sheetadapted to fit over the top of a door, said sheet having one endattached to the rear of said support and having means secured to itsother end for fastening to the knob of the door upon which the supportis mounted.

JOHN B, COBB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 601,577 Manning Mar. 29, 18981,157,333 Snell Oct. 19, 1915 1,886,112 Laurde Nov. 1, 1932 2,049,593Schabinger Aug. 4, 1936 2,230,813 Pressman Feb. 4, 1941 2,267,222Sandeberg Dec. 23, 1941 2,313,188 Woodburn Mar. 9, 1943

